Mr. Chairman, I have some problems with regard to the existing Child Welfare Act, with adoptions. One of the problems is that we are still exercising adoption based on the existing laws with no due consideration for the immediate family, aunts, uncles or even grandparents. Have you touched on this at all? Once a child becomes a ward of Social Services, there is no consideration whatsoever with regard to the background of the child or families. Once they are within the court system, then they are protected under the law and there is nothing you can do about it. Has the Minister herself, being an aboriginal person and perhaps a mother, looked at the present act to see how you might be able to allow the immediate family the first option to care for the child in the event the mother is not suitable?
Samuel Gargan on Committee Motion 110-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation 24
In the Legislative Assembly on March 17th, 1993. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 110-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation 24
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 16th, 1993
Page 995
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
See context to find out what was said next.